National
Court orders injunction against ‘Don’t Ask’ enforcement
Justice Dept. has 60 days to appeal decision
A California federal court on Tuesday granted an injunction against the enforcement of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” throughout the United States and across the globe.
U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips confirmed her earlier opinion in September against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the case of Log Cabin v. United States by granting an immediate and permanent injunction barring the U.S. government from enforcing the law. Additionally, the court ordered the suspension of all pending proceedings and investigations under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
In her injunction, Phillips reiterates that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” violates the free speech and due process rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual service members under the First and Fifth Amendments. Phillips says her injunction “permanently enjoins” the U.S. government “from enforcing or applying the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Act and implementing regulations, against any person under their jurisdiction or command.”
The Justice Department has 60 days to determine whether or not to appeal the decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Tracy Schmaler, a Justice Department spokesperson, said the U.S. government is reviewing the ruling.
President Obama has pledged to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Many opponents of the law, including members of Congress, have urged the president not to appeal the court decision.
During a press conference Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs deferred comment on the injunction to the Justice Department.
“Obviously there have been a number of court cases that have ruled in favor of plaintiffs in this case,” Gibbs added. “And the President will continue to work as hard as he can to change the law that he believes is fundamentally unfair.”
Christian Berle, acting executive director for the National Log Cabin Republicans, which filed the lawsuit in 2004, said the court’s decision is the only “reasonable solution” in how to handle “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the wake of the ruling finding the law violated service members’ constitutional rights.
“These soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines sacrifice so much in defense of our nation and our Constitution,” he said. “It is imperative that their constitutional freedoms be protected as well.”
Berle added the injunction strengthens national defense because the U.S. government is no longer compelled to “discharge service members with valuable skills and experience because of an archaic policy mandating irrational discrimination.”
Francine Minadeo, a spokesperson for White & Case LLP, which represented Log Cabin in the case, said the order has no stay of injunction and the firm doesn’t know whether the government will appeal the decision.
Aaron Tax, legal director for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said his also organization applauds the ruling, but warned gay, lesbian and bisexual service members in the U.S. military against making their sexual orientation public in the wake of the Phillips’ order.
“This order will likely be appealed by the Justice Department and brought to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit where her decision may well be reversed,” Tax said. “Service members must proceed safely and should not come out at this time.”
Greg Rinckey, an attorney with Tully-Rinckey, which handles “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” cases, also said LGBT service members remain “in danger” if they decide to come out.
“I envision there will be an appeal filed [Tuesday or Wednesday] requesting an injunction for a stay on it, so it’s definitely not safe to come out now,” Rinckey said.
Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United and sole named veteran plaintiff in the lawsuit, called the order “another historic and courageous step in the right direction.”
“While this is certainly news to be celebrated, we would also advise caution in advance of a potential stay from the Ninth Circuit,” he said. “If the appellate court wishes to put itself on the right side of history, however, it will allow this sound and long-over due decision to remain in effect.”
National
Madonna turns Times Square into massive dance floor
Pop icon celebrates Pride month with surprise performance
Pop icon Madonna celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York City’s Times Square on Thursday to the delight of 50,000 fans.
She performed for about 15 minutes high above street level, including several songs from her new album “Confessions II” due on July 3, along with a trio of songs from the first “Confessions on a Dance Floor.”
In addition to the brand new “Love Sensation,” she performed “I Feel So Free” and “Bring Your Love,” plus “Hung Up,” “Get Together” and “I Love New York.” She wished the crowd a happy Pride season; the event was shared with audiences through Grindr’s first-ever livestream.
National
Gallup finds LGBTQ support among Americans is dropping
Marriage equality support lowest since 2016
Gallup, one of the leading organizations in public opinion polling, has found that LGBTQ support among Americans is dropping.
The poll, whose data was collected using Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey, was conducted in May and was published on Wednesday. The data was collected through telephone interviews from a sample of more than 1,000 adults living in all 50 states and D.C. using random digit dialing.
It highlights declining attitudes surrounding LGBTQ issues in multiple areas — from support for same-sex marriage to views on gender identity and the morality of one’s sexuality.
One of the most striking findings was that support for marriage equality fell six points from its 2022-2023 high.
The survey also found that 62 percent of Americans view gay and lesbian relations as morally acceptable, the lowest level since 2016 just after same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide by the U.S. Supreme Court.
One newer question on the poll found that the perceived morality of changing one’s gender has dropped eight points since 2021, indicating the American public is less supportive of transgender people.
The data attributes much of the decline to shifting Republican views alongside the party itself. Conservative leaders have pushed back against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that were intended to foster greater acceptance of LGBTQ people and other historically disadvantaged groups.
President Donald Trump has been a guiding force behind waves of anti-LGBTQ sentiment, particularly when it comes to trans rights. The president has enacted multiple executive orders, including Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which mandates that gender be defined by one’s sex assigned at birth. He also signed Executive Order 14183, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” which barred qualified trans applicants from joining the military and led to the removal of trans service members already serving in the armed forces.
Additionally, he signed Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which prohibits trans female athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.
In February, Gallup found that an estimated 9 percent of Americans identified as part of the LGBTQ community in some form.
The organization also found that 23 percent of adults under age 30 identify as LGBTQ, compared with 10 percent of those ages 30 to 49 and 3 percent or less among those ages 50 and older.
Congress
Ogles faces bipartisan backlash over anti-gay social media post
Tenn. congressman blamed the comment on staffer
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), who represents Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, is facing backlash from LGBTQ advocates and fellow Republicans after a social media post declared that “homosexuality has no place in America.”
“Homosexuality has no place in America. Happy Nuclear Family Month,” the congressman wrote in a post on X that was later deleted.
According to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, an estimated 6.3 percent of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ.
Following widespread criticism, Ogles removed the post and blamed it on a staff member.
“The post was stupid, hurtful and a complete distraction from my America First focus. The employee has been reprimanded,” Ogles said in a statement.
The Washington Blade reached out to Ogles’s office for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
Among those condemning the message was U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who called it “absolutely idiotic” in a social media post.
“Homosexuality exists. In America,” Lawler wrote on X. “In fact, Andy, you have family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and constituents who are gay and lesbian. It doesn’t make them less than or somehow unworthy of being an American.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also criticized Ogles’s remarks.
“For all of recorded history, homosexuals have been a part of humanity,” Cruz told TMZ DC. “I think the behavior of consenting adults is their business.”
Chris Sanders, the executive director for the Tennessee Equality Project and Tennessee Equality Project Foundation provided a statement to the Blade about Ogles’s comment.
“The Tennessee Nuclear Family Month resolution has really backfired on conservatives by ensnaring Congressman Ogles in scandal. He used the resolution as a pretext to say that our community doesn’t belong in America, resulting in incredible backlash from across the partisan divide,” Sanders said. “It is a good opportunity for him to pause and reflect on whether it’s time for him to resign. Fighting one’s own constituents is not the purpose of serving in Congress.”
Human Rights Campaign Senior Press Secretary Jarred Keller provided a statement to the Blade regarding Ogles’s comments.
“LGBTQ+ people are woven into the fabric of America, and any politician who questions that is severely out of touch with reality. When so many people are worried about whether they can afford gas to get to work or groceries for their families, the last thing we need is right-wing Republicans targeting marginalized communities with hateful attacks,” Keller said. “Representative Ogles should spend less time attacking LGBTQ+ people and start addressing the issues that actually matter, because last I checked, our community isn’t the reason families are struggling to make ends meet.”
The controversy comes as Tennessee continues to advance legislation affecting LGBTQ residents. The state already has several laws on the books that LGBTQ advocates have criticized, including the Adult Entertainment Act, enacted in 2023, which restricts certain “adult cabaret performances.”
Lawmakers have also introduced additional measures this legislative session, including the “No Pride Flag or Month Act,” which would prohibit state employees, volunteers, and agents from displaying Pride flags or participating in Pride observances while acting in an official capacity.
Another proposal, the “Banning Bostock Act” would seek to limit the application of state anti-discrimination protections based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. Tennessee lawmakers have also passed other measures restricting LGBTQ rights and access to gender-affirming health care.
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